Bicycle



No. 608,936 Patented Aug. 9, I898. F. J. WADMAN.

BICYCLE.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1897.) i

(No Model.

61/ .d WITN SSES: 6 lg I Luv N on .aiw 1 t g 5% v ZATTORNE llnrrnn STATES FRANK J. WADMAN, OF ONONDAGA, NEW YORK.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,936, dated August 9,

Application filed December 27, 1897. Serial No. 663,509. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. WADMAN, of the town of Onondaga, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription This invention relates to an improvement in propelling mechanism for bicycles, and it has special reference to that class of mechanism in which reciprocating rods or pitmen are employed for transmitting rotary motion from a crank-shaft to the driving-wheel.

The main object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by which great power and speed can be obtained with comparatively little exertion on the part of the rider of the bicycle; and, furthermore, the object is to produce a construction which shall be simple and durable and also very efficient in its operation and at the same time will present a neat appearance; and to that end the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the claim.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle equipped with my improved propelling mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side view of said mechanism. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a further-enlarged sectional view of the so-called hanger or bracket.

In referring to the drawings, a a represent the rear fork members, and b b the rear braces, of the bicycle-frame A, which frame is provided with the usual bracket 0. The fork member Ct is bent outwardly farther than the fork member a and is joined to the rear brace b by means of a vertically-disposed plate d to permit the application and operation of my improved propelling mechanism, which will now be explained. In the bracket 0 is journaled an oscillatory shaft e, provided with two independently-operating pedal-levers f f, the lever f being rigidly secured thereto and the lever f journaled on said shaft. On the shaft e is journaled a rockarm g, preferably formed integral with the j ournaled lever f, and rigidly secured on said shaft is a similar arm 9. V

13 represents the driving-wheel, to the hub h of which is secured a pinion 1'. On the aforesaid plate d of the frame is pivoted a gear-wheel j, which meshes with the pinion 2', and said gear receives rotary motion from the oscillatory shaft 6, by means of the two rods or pitmen Z Z, which are pivoted at their front ends to the rock-arms g g, respectively, and are pivoted jointly at their rear ends to a single wrist-pin on the gear-wheel j, which by means of the aforesaid pinion v imparts accelerated motion to the driving-wheel 13. The rock-arms g g are each provided with a slot on, in which the pitmen Z Z are pivoted, said slots allowing the pitmen to be shifted toward and from the shaft 8 to increase'or diminish the leverage of said arms and vary the thrust of the pedal-levers accordingly.

One of the chief advantages of my improved construction is that the foot motion is lessened, which permits of the use of a more comfortable saddle, which is very desirable for ladies bicycles.

I prefer to provide the usual ball-bearings at the various pivotal connections throughout the construction.

It will be observed that the rods or pitmen Z l are located between the driving-wheel and the deflected fork member aand that they do not in any manner interfere with the rider and are to a great extent guarded against in jury by the fork member a. It will also be observed that the connecting-plate d reinforces the frame, forms a firm support for the gear-wheel, and also guards the gear-wheelj and pinion a.

What I claim is- The combination with the frame and driving-wheel of a bicycle, ofa pinion secured to said wheel, a gear mounted on the frame and meshing with said pinion, a single wrist-pin on the gear-wheel, a pedal-shaft journaled in the frame, a pedal-crank fast on one end of the shaft, a pedal-crank loosely mounted on 5 theother end of the shaft, a lever rigidly connected to the loosely-mounted pedal-crank, a second lever rigidly connected to the shaft adjacent to the loosely-mounted pedal-crank, signed my name this 22d day of December, said levers extending divergently from each 1897.

other, and a pair of links both pivoted at one end to the Wrist-pin and at their other ends FRANK WADMAN' 5 respectively to the outer ends of the respee- Witnesses:

tive levers, substantially as described. J. J. LAAss,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto H. B. SMITH. 

